If you haven’t been there already, Orchaa is one place you shouldn’t miss traveling to. It’s practically en route to Khajuraho from Jhansi, 20 km off the highway. Hop onto an early morning Shatabdi from Delhi, and comfortably by noon you will find yourself in Orchaa. It’s a small little non-descript town which was, in the 17th century, a princely state, dotted as it is by hundreds of little chatris, tombs and temples, in a mass of thick green.

The dusty town - as you will make your way through it - opens up to the town square, which is essentially a bunch of little shops - eating joints with worldly menus, cyber cafes teeming with tourists and rather creepy looking massage centres. But fortunately, this isn’t a typical touristy place, locals won’t bother you (most are very helpful and pleasant), it’s safe, and there aren’t that many tourists around. In short, it’s a sweet deal.

A minute away from the buzz of the town lies a bridge that runs across River Betwa, and beyond the bridge you will see the first of the three main palaces of Orchaa looming large. It’s a magnificent sight, really. Walk through the giant gates, and a few steps in, you’ll be standing between the folds of the Raj Mahal and the Jahangir Mahal. While you may have seen a number of forts and palaces in many other towns of India - Orchaa, is Orchha. You’ll know it when you see it.

Nestled quietly in between the two mahals, lies Sheesh Mahal, which has now been turned into a hotel run by the government of Madhya Pradesh. Sheesh Mahal is perhaps the smarted pick to stay here because from every corner of the hotel, you have the grandest possible view of the mystics of Orchha. If on a winter morning you lull over breakfast by the open terrace at Sheesh Mahal, perhaps taking a peek out of a jharoka, eyes widening at sight of Jahangir Mahal on your left, and Raj Mahal to your right - you will surely wonder why you didn’t come here before.

Unfortunately the time when I stopped by Orchha on my way back from Khajuraho, it wasn’t quite winter yet, and predictably the days were more than comfortably warm. While the sun beat down our backs, we continued - as if on a mission - to explore. The palaces were so beautiful that it felt foolish to be sitting in the hotel room waiting for the sun to go down.

In Orchha, there really isn’t much to do other than walk around the greens, discovering hidden chatris and other weathered ruins. Or you can spend the entire day strolling the corridors of the mahals - they are several levels high and more breathtaking with every step. It’s another world altogether and a photographer’s delight. That was my only complaint - with a camera in hand I couldn’t stop taking pictures and wished instead I could let it rest and plonk myself on a bench to take in the rustic glaze. If you’re there in winter, I recommend you take along a book, pick a quiet nook in one of these mahals and park yourself under one of the chatris for a few hours. It’s unlike anything else.